SIO354: Serial's Adnan Syed Conviction Reinstated. What Happened?

When I saw the headlines that Adnan Syed's murder conviction had been reinstated, I asked our friendly SIO legal expert Matt Cameron to take a look. We both assumed it was likely just some procedural thingy that would be quickly resolved. Well, turns out there's a lot more to it than that. Find out what happened and why Matt thinks there's a chance the conviction might not be going away after all.

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Matt's footnotes:

1. 85-page Court of Appeals decision in Lee v. State reinstating Adnan Syed’s conviction (3/28/23)
3. Mosby’s Sep 14, 2022 motion to vacate Adnan Syed’s conviction

4. Judge Phinn’s September 19, 2022 order on motion to vacate

5. Attorney General Brian Frosh’s statement re: SA Mosby’s motion to vacate

6. Attorney General’s fiery response to Adnan Syed’s motion to disqualify AG’s office from representing the state of Maryland in this appeal

7. More on the feud between the Attorney General and Baltimore City State’s Attorney over the Adnan Syed conviction: “Maryland AG questions integrity of process used to exonerate Adnan Syed,” Maryland Daily Record (10/25/22) 

8. Full transcription of prosecutor’s handwritten note which Mosby alleged constituted Brady evidence and more information in this Baltimore Banner story: “Was Adnan Syed Note Misinterpreted?” Baltimore Banner, (11/1/2022)

9. Appellant Young Lee’s brief in Lee v. State

10. Defendant Adnan Syed’s brief in Lee v. State

11. 2019 Court of Appeals case finding ineffective assistance of prior counsel in Adnan Syed’s case, but not enough prejudice to justify a new trial: State v. Syed :: 2019 :: Maryland Court of Appeals Decisions 

12. Jay Wilds Plea Agreement (adnansyedwiki.com)